Game on a sidewalk template
Before the modern digital age, before video games and the internet turned children into pale, lonely shadows of the outdoor kids of yesteryear, boys and girls sought their free time outside. Eagerly abandoning the dull comforts of home, youngsters would take to the streets with their playmates, looking to join in an impromptu game of hopscotch, tag, or any other activity that provided exercise and fun. Today, it can be a little more difficult to convince your son or daughter to go out and do something that doesn’t involve a shiny screen and a few buttons. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that starting a computer game is the easiest: just hit the switch and click the icon, or insert the disc, and you’re good to go. By contrast, a game of hopscotch, for example, may require you to whip out some chalk, carefully draw the lines, and number them accordingly. And then, if it’s not already ruined by a couple of games and stomping kids, it won’t last long anyway, forcing you to keep drawing the hopscotch grid for future encounters.
On the contrary, it can make your sidewalk hopscotch diagram much more durable and professional looking. This can be accomplished with a set of plastic stencils designed for a game of hopscotch and some quality paint that will stick to pavement. Choosing which grade of insole to buy depends on how often you expect your kids to play hopscotch or play games with them. If you think you’ll be setting up a lot of games in the coming years, consider choosing a thicker stencil, which will take much longer to wear out. Otherwise, for occasional forays into sidewalk play, choose a lower-grade template, which should do the job adequately.
Since you don’t want to waste paint on loose objects such as rocks or dirt that could be pushed or kicked over, be sure to clear the area of debris before stenciling. Bring a broom with you and sweep away the odds and the extremes. Once the section of pavement is clear, set up the hopscotch stencil and remove the paint. Spray the paint evenly, so the paint doesn’t cake or run due to misapplication. Some people recommend that you use a marker wand to paint on the stencil, which will speed up the task and make it easier. Before you start playing, make sure the paint is completely dry. You wouldn’t want any child accidentally slipping on wet paint or complaining that they got paint on their favorite shoes.
While a template makes a game of hopscotch much easier to set up, keep in mind if the pavement is wet or if the weather forecast for that day is for rain. In either case, you may want to forgo hopscotch painting. Don’t worry, there will always be another day for you to make your hopscotch aspirations come true for your child, as long as you take care of your hopscotch template properly.